Bites & Sips - Two area restaurants close

Published: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 8:41 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 8:41 a.m.

With the calendar year closing out, the final hours of 2012 saw two area eateries shutter their doors on New Year's Eve. Another pair are closing for renovations.

The Coastal Roaster

Earl Losey, owner of The Coastal Roaster at 5954 Carolina Beach Road, may be closing the doors of his coffee shop, but his days are going to be anything but easy over the coming months.

With the last cup of joe served on New Year's Eve, the start of 2013 marks the location's transformation into a new venture called Niche Kitchen and Bar. A tentative menu featuring an eclectic mix of small plates and tapas has been hammered out, the creation of chef Chris Newton. Newton, who formerly clocked time at Cape Fear Seafood Company, has been making soups for Losey for the past two years.

Losey said the renovations will be substantial, with a full kitchen and bar leading the way. The change, spurred by lagging business at the coffee shop, gives Losey a chance to provide the kind of service he'd always envisioned.

"Every time we turned around we were limited," he said about the space.

The Coastal Roaster's menu, while limited, won accolades for its soups, panini and gelato.

The new eatery will seat 50 to 55, with room for a dozen at the bar and expanded outdoor seating. Losey said the place will have a classic look he described as featuring "a lot of wood. But definitely not beachy or contemporary."

As the transition continues, look for updates on The Coastal Roaster's Facebook page, which will be changing identities along with the physical eatery in the coming weeks.

Barista Café

With the sun setting on 2012, Barista Cafe and Cape Fear Bakery owner Shelley Ferrell worked through the evening moving racks, refrigerators and other equipment out of her Chandler's Wharf shop on New Year's Eve. She said the decision to close had more to do with a need to move closer to family in Virginia than the economy.

While she could have kept the shop running for another few months, she said it made more sense to close now than to continue doing business into the new year.

Ferrell, who took over the existing coffee shop in 2010, won fans with an all-day breakfast menu in addition to a traditional sandwich selection. Her baked items, ranging from tiny cake balls to elaborate wedding cakes, enjoyed an equal following, turning up across town at various events.

The closing was announced on the store's Facebook page.

"We would like to thank all of our patrons for being a part of our family the past couple of years," Ferrell wrote. "We wish you all well and truly appreciate your loyalty!"

Dockside

Expect renovations to be rapid at this Airlie Road establishment. Plans are in place that will see the kitchen receive a new floor, among other improvements.

To accommodate the overhaul, the restaurant will be closed until Jan. 18, but the marina bar will open daily at noon. A manager behind the bar said Monday that it's possible the bar may be closed for a day, but they're planning on doing business as usual.

Surfs

Recently emerging from bankruptcy, this Market Street eatery has just as quickly closed for renovations. A sign in the window indicates the work should take about two months, with a reopening slated for March.

Ezzell's

As I noted in a story on Tuesday, the Carolina Beach Road diner closed on New Year's Day only to announce plans to reopen on Friday. (Read the whole saga at PortCityFoodies.com.) Which makes this as good a time as any for some housekeeping. Allison Ballard, who has covered the restaurant beat for us for the past year, is leaving. And I, with qualifications limited to blogging about home cooking for the past five years, have taken over those duties. I hope I can pull it off without too many plates being sent back to the kitchen, so to say.

If you have any tips, questions or just want to chat about all things edible, email me at Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline or find me on Twitter @pauljstephen. Or, just swing by the Port City Foodies Facebook page and drop a note.